Seymour crane



No. 6l6,772. Patented Dec. 27, I898. 8. CRANE. ENVELOP SEALING ANDSTAMPING DEVICE.

(Applicatidn filed May 6, 1898.)

(N0 Model.)

INVITED STATES pATENT OFFICE.

SEYMOUR CRANE, OF DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARDH. BUSH, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,772, dated December27, 1899. Application filed May 6, 1898. Serial No; 679,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEYMOUR CRANE, a citi- Zen of the United States, anda resident of Dalton, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts,- have invented new and useful Improvements in EnvelopSealing and Stamping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in envelop sealing andstamping devices, the object being to provide an improved device of thischaracter by means of which the fiap of the envelop may be moistened, sothat the envelop may be sealed and one corner of the back of the envelopcan be moistened and a stamp applied thereto.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character whichwill be very simple and cheap and in which the envelops may be rapidlysealed and stamped.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a front view of thedevice. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view.Fig. 4 is a sectional View through the moistener for the back of theenvelop where the stamp is to be applied. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewthrough the flapmoistener; and Fig. 6 is a vertical central sectionthrough the stamp-reservoir, showing the method of mounting it upon itssupporting post or pillar.

The base of the devices, denoted by A may be of any desired size andshape, it being represented herein as of rectangular form and ofsufficient size to accommodate the several parts of the device. Back andside walls a a uprise from the base A, and a partition a projectsforwardly from the back wall a at a point about half-way between the endwall a and the opposite end of the back wall a.

. This partition is of less height than the back and end walls act, forthe purposes to be hereinafter set forth.

An envelop-flap moistener is situated upon the base A at its front,which flap-moistener in the present instance consists of awaterreservoir B, having mounted in its top a sponge, felt, or othermoistening material I), which is kept moist by the water within thereservoir B trickling through suitable holes Z) in the walls of thereservoir surrounding the sponge or felt. The moistening material binthe present instance is shown of considerable length and is preferablyof such shape as to substantially conform to'the gummed portion on thefree edge of the flap.

The moistener for the corner of the back of the envelop to which thestamp is to be applied is located upon the'baseAin the angle formed bythe back Wall a and the forwardlyeXtended partition a In the presentinstance this moistener comprises a'box O, divided by a diagonalperforated partition 0 into a sponge or felt receiving cup 0' and aWater-reservoir 0 A piece of felt, sponge, or other suitable moisteningmaterial 0 is located in the cup portion 0, with its top projectingabove the top of the box in position to moisten the envelop, the saidsponge or felt being kept moist by the water which passes through theperforated partition 0 from the reservoir 0 The means for applying thestamp to the moistened portion of the envelop comprises a pillar or postD, uprising from the base A in the compartment formed by the back wall,end wall, and partition, the top of the said post being provided with aspring-actuated stamp-reservoir E. The top dot the post D serves as afalse bottom for the stamp-reservoir E and also serves to limit theupward movement of the said reservoir. A springF serves to hold thereservoir at the limit of its upward movement, which spring in thepresent instance is shown as coiled around the pillar D and interposedbetween the bottom of the reservoir E and the base A. The reservoir Eextends above the top of the partition a but not up to the top of theback and end walls. A pile or stack of separated stamps G are placedwithin the reservoir E, with their gummed portions up.

When it is desired to seal and stamp an en velop, the gummed portion ofthe flap of the envelop is first moistened by the sponge or moisteningmaterial and the envelop sealed. The corner of the envelop upon which itis intended to apply the stamp is inserted into the angle formed by thepartition a and the back wall, with its back upon the moistening ICOmaterial 0 The envelop is then raised and inserted into the angle formedby the back wall a and the end walla on top of the stampreservoir E. Theenvelop is then pressed downwardly,thus depressing the reservoir untilthe top stamp is caused to adhere to the moistened portion of theenvelop. The envelop may then be removed, thus leaving the device readyfor the next succeeding operation.

It will be seen from the above description that the envelops may besealed and stamped very rapidly, it making no difference with theoperation of the device whether there are a great many stamps in thereservoir E or a very few, the depressing of the envelop when placedupon the reservoir E causing the reservoir to be also depressed until astamp comes in engagement with the envelop. It may also be seen that byconstructing the partition a of less height than the end wall a theenvelops may be quickly inserted into their positions over theenvelop-moistener and also over the stamp-reservoir.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly tothe struc ture herein set forth; but

What I claim is- An envelop sealing and stamping device comprising asuitable base, a flap-moistener carried by the base, a back wall, an endwall, a partition parallel with the end wall and of less height than theback and end walls, a moistener located upon the base in the angleformed by the partition and back wall for moistening the portion of theenvelop to which the stamp is to be applied and a spring-actuatedstamp-reservoir uprising from the base in the compartment formed by thepartition, back and end walls, the said stamp-reservoir normallyprojecting above the top of the partition for engaging the moistenedportion of the envelop when the envelop is inserted between said backand end walls and over the partition, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of May, 1898.

SEYMOUR CRANE.

Witnesses:

J AMES FALLON, JOHN H. P1201;a

